This disclosure relates to scanning probe microscopy instruments. A scanning probe microscopy instrument, such as an atomic force microscope (“AFM”), typically includes a cantilevered probe tip that extends from the instrument. The AFM positions the tip in proximity of a sample under test in order to detect a characteristic of the sample. The tip scans the surface of sample under test, and the AFM generates an image of the surface based upon interactions between the tip and the surface as a function of tip position on the sample. The tip is normally made of platinum, silicon nitride, or gold and is formed into a precise point to facilitate the interaction with the sample.